The Economic Times·2025-12-22 09:11Market Performance - Germany's DAX increased by 0.1% to 24,315.90, while the CAC 40 in Paris decreased by 0.2% to 8,135.23 and Britain's FTSE 100 fell by 0.3% to 9,864.71 [1] - In Asian markets, Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose by 1.8% to 50,402.39, driven by significant gains in computer chip makers [2] - The S&P 500 futures were up by 0.4% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average futures gained 0.2% [1] Sector Performance - The technology sector, particularly companies like Nvidia and Broadcom, has been a major driver of market gains, with Nvidia rising by 3.9% and Broadcom by 3.2% [6][7] - Semiconductor maker Tokyo Electron saw a jump of 6.3%, while chip testing equipment maker Advantest gained 4.5% [2] - Oracle's stock rose by 6.6% following news of a joint venture with TikTok, indicating strong interest in technology partnerships [6] Economic Indicators - Homebuilders experienced a decline, with KB Home falling by 8.5% due to a report showing a slowdown in home sales for the first time since May [8] - Consumer sentiment improved slightly in December compared to November, but remains significantly lower than the previous year [8] - Inflation continues to exceed the Federal Reserve's 2% target, prompting concerns about the impact of interest rate cuts on economic growth [10] Currency and Commodities - The Japanese yen weakened against the dollar, trading at 157.45 yen, down from 157.60 [5] - U.S. benchmark crude oil prices increased by 57 cents to $57.09 per barrel, while Brent crude rose by 58 cents to $61.05 per barrel [11]